Chapter 3: Earth Materials: Minerals and Rocks Flashcards
anion
A negatively charged ion.
atom
The smallest unit of an element that retains the element’s physical and chemical properties.
atomic mass
The sum of an atom’s protons and neutrons
atomic number
The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom (or number of electrons).
bedding
The formation of parallel layers of sediment as particles settle to the bottom of the sea, a river, or a land surface
cation
A positively charged ion.
chemical and biochemical sediments
New chemical substances that form by precipitation when some of a rock�s components dissolve during weathering and are carried in river waters to the sea.
chemical reaction
The interaction of the atoms of two or more chemical elements in certain fixed proportions that produces a new chemical substance.
cleavage
(1) The tendency of a crystal to break along flat planar surfaces. (2) The geometric pattern produced by such breakage.
Described by the number of planes (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, etc)
color
A property of a mineral imparted by transmitted or reflected light. Either transmitted through or reflected by crystals, irregular masses, or a streak.
Most noticeable, least useful property
contact metamorphism
Metamorphism resulting from heat and pressure in a small area, as in rocks in contact with and near an igneous intrusion. Changes in the mineralogy and texture of rock resulting from the heat and pressure in a small area, such as the rocks near and in contact with an igneous intrusion.
covalent bond
A bond between atoms in which the outer electrons are shared.
crystal
An ordered three-dimensional array of atoms in which the basic arrangement is repeated in all directions.
crystal habit
The shape in which a mineral�s individual crystals or aggregates of crystals grow.
Most common are cubic or hexagonal
crystallization
The growth of a solid from a gas or liquid whose constituent atoms come together in the proper chemical proportions and ordered three-dimensional arrangement.
density
The mass per unit volume of a substance, commonly expressed in grams per cubic centimeter. (Compare specific gravity.)
electron
A negatively charged particle that moves around the nucleus of an atom.
electron sharing
The mechanism by which a covalent bond is formed between the elements in a chemical reaction.
electron transfer
The mechanism by which an ionic bond is formed between the elements in a chemical reaction.
erosion
The set of processes that loosen soil and rock and move them downhill or downstream, where they are deposited as layers of sediment.
extrusive igneous rock
A fine-grained or glassy igneous rock formed from a rapidly cooled magma that erupts at the surface through a volcano.
foliation
A set of flat or wavy parallel planes produced by deformation.
fracture
The tendency of a crystal to break along irregular surfaces other than cleavage planes. (cleavage = 0)
hardness
A measure of the ease with which the surface of a mineral can be scratched.
hydrothermal solution
A hot water solution formed when circulating groundwater or seawater comes into contact with a hot magmatic intrusion, reacts with it, and carries off significant quantities of elements and ions released by the reaction, which may be deposited later as ore minerals.
igneous rock
A rock formed by the solidification of a magma, before or after it reaches the surface.(From the Latin ignis, meaning “fire.”)
intrusive igneous rock
A coarse-grained igneous rock that crystallized slowly when magma intruded into country rock deep in Earth�s crust.
ionic bond
A bond formed by electrostatic attraction between ions of opposite charge when electrons are transferred. (Compare covalent bond.)
isotope
One of two or more forms of atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons and therefore different atomic masses.
lithification
The conversion of sediment into solid rock by compaction and cementation.
luster
The way in which the surface of a mineral reflects light to produce the shine of its surface, described by such subjective terms non-metallic (such as dull, glassy) or metallic.
metallic bond
A type of covalent bond in which freely mobile electrons are shared and dispersed among ions of metallic elements, which have the tendency to lose electrons and pack together as cations.
metamorphic rock
A rock formed by the transformation of preexisting solid rocks under the influence of high pressure and temperature.
mineral
A naturally occurring, solid crystalline substance, generally inorganic, with a specific chemical composition.
mineralogy
(1) The branch of geology that studies the composition, structure, appearance, stability, occurrence, and associations of minerals. (2) The relative proportions of a rock�s constituent minerals.
Mohs scale of hardness (defn)
An empirical, ascending scale of mineral hardness based on the ability of one mineral to scratch another.
neutron
An electrically neutral elementary particle in the nucleus of an atom, having an atomic mass of 1.
nucleus
The center of an atom, comprising protons and neutrons and containing virtually all the mass of the atom.
ore
A mineral deposit from which valuable metals can be recovered profitably.
polymorph
One of two or more alternative possible crystal structures for a single chemical compound
precipitate
(1) (verb) To drop out of a saturated solution as crystals. (2) (noun) The crystals that drop out of a saturated solution.
proton
An elementary particle in the nucleus of an atom, having an atomic mass of 1 and a positive electrical charge of +1.
regional metamorphism
Metamorphism caused by high pressures and temperatures that extend over large regions, as happens where plates collide.
rock
A naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or, in some cases, nonmineral solid matter.
rock cycle
The set of geologic processes that convert each type of rock into the other two types.
sediment
A material deposited at Earth�s surface by physical agents (wind, water, and ice), chemical agents (precipitation from oceans, lakes, and rivers), or biological agents (organisms, living and dead).
sedimentary rock
A rock formed as the burial product of layers of sediments (such as sand, mud, and calcium carbonate shells), whether they were laid down on the land or under the sea.
siliciclastic sediment
Clastic sediment produced by the weathering of rocks composed largely of silicate minerals.
specific gravity
The weight of a mineral in air divided by the weight of an equal volume of pure water at 4°C.
streak
The color of the fine deposit of mineral dust left on an abrasive surface, such as a tile of unglazed porcelain, when a mineral is scraped across it.
Most give a white streak
texture
The sizes and shapes of a rock�s mineral crystals and the way they are put together.
vein
A sheetlike deposit of minerals precipitated in fractures or joints that are foreign to the host rock.
weathering
The general process that breaks up rocks into fragments of various sizes by a combination of physical fracturing and chemical decomposition.
magma
Hot, molten rock
oxides
A class of minerals that are compounds of the oxygen anion (O²-) and metallic cations
silicate
The most abundant class of minerals in Earth’s crust, composed of oxygen (O) and silicon (Si), mostly in combination with cations of other elements
sulfate
A class of minerals that are compounds of the sulfate anion (SO4²-) and metallic cations
sulfide
A class of minerals that are compounds of the sulfide anion (S²-) and metallic cations
trace element
An element that makes up less than 01 percent of a mineral
carbonate
A class of minerals composed of carbon and oxygen-in the form of the carbonate anion (CO3²-)-in combination with calcium and magnesium
ion
An atom or group of atoms that has an electrical charge, either positive or negative, because of the loss or gain of one or more electrons
disseminated deposit
A deposit of ore minerals that is scattered through volumes of rock much larger than a vein
grain
A crystalline particle of a mineral.
chemical sediment
A sediment formed at or near its place of deposition from dissolved materials that precipitate from water. (Compare biological sediment.)
biological sediment
A sediment formed near its place of deposition as a result of direct or indirect mineral precipitation by organisms. (Compare chemical sediment.)
striations
Grooves or ridges across the surface of a rock
Examples of non-minerals
- Synthetics
- Liquids or gasses
- Glass
- Coal
4 types of chemical bonds
- Ionic
- Covalent
- Metallic
- Van Der Waals
zoning
layers of mineral build with temperature changes and changing composition (such as from 100% calcium -> 90% sodium)
conchoidal fracture
when a mineral fractures like glass (like the scoop shape of broken glass)
8 most common physical properties of minerals
- hardness
- cleavage
- luster
- color
- streak
- specific gravity/density
- fracture
- crystal habit
lesser common physical properties of minerals
- effervescence
- magnetism
- florescence
- biorefraction
2 most common minerals in Earth’s crust
oxygen and silicon
2 most common elements in the universe
hydrogen and helium
aphanetic
- Igneous rock texture
* Fine texture
phaneritic
- Igneous rock texture
* Coarse-grained texture
glassy
- Igneous rock texture
* Just glass - no minerals
porphyoblastic
- Igneous rock texture
- Large crystals in fine-grained mass
(also called “porphry” for short)
pegmatitic
- Igneous rock texture
* Huge crystals (bigger than thumb)
of elements that occur naturally in rocks and minerals
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Van Der Waals force
A weak attractive force between atoms or non-polar molecules caused by a temporary change in dipole moment arising from a brief shift of orbital electrons to one side of one atom or molecule, creating a similar shift in adjacent atoms or molecules.
